The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant, botanically known as Caladiumxc3x97hortulanum, commercially referred to as lance-leaf Caladium, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Florida Red Ruffles.
The new cultivar is a product of a planned and controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Bradenton, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create densely-foliated compact Caladium cultivars with lanceolate-shaped leaves. The new cultivar originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 1982 of a proprietary lance-leaf Caladium selection identified as code number GC80-287, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Caladium cultivar Red Frill, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Florida Red Ruffles was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Bradenton, Fla., in 1985.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by tuber divisions since 1985, in Bradenton, Fla., has shown that the unique features of this new Caladium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.
The new Caladium has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, fertilizer rate and type, and water status, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Florida Red Rufflesxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Florida Red Rufflesxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Compact and densely-foliated plant habit.
2. Upright, outwardly arching and symmetrical plant form.
3. Red and dark green bi-colored leaves that are lanceolate in shape with undulate margins that give the leaves a ruffled appearance.
4. Compared to other known Caladium cultivars, relatively tolerant to low temperatures.
5. Tolerant to full sunlight conditions.
When grown in side-side comparisons in Bradenton, Fla., plants of the new Caladium differ from plants of the female parent, the selection GC80-287, primarily in leaf color. Plants of the new Caladium have red and dark green bi-colored leaves whereas plants of the selection GC80-287 have green-colored leaves with red-colored veins and white-colored interveinal areas.
Plants of the new Caladium are most similar to plants of the male parent, the cultivar Red Frill. However, when grown in side-side comparisons in Bradenton, Fla., plants of the new Caladium differ from plants of the cultivar Red Frill in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Caladium are more compact and not as open as plants of the cultivar Red Frill.
2. Plants of the new Caladium have broader leaves than plants of the cultivar Red Frill.
3. Leaves of plants of the new Caladium have undulate margins giving a ruffled appearance to the leaves whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Red Frill have smooth margins and leaves are not ruffled in appearance.
4. Plants of the new Caladium have stronger petioles than plants of the cultivar Red Frill.
5. Plants of the new Caladium are more low temperature tolerant than plants of the cultivar Red Frill.
Plants of the new Caladium can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Rosalie, not patented. When grown in side-side comparisons in Bradenton, Fla., plants of the new Caladium differ from plants of the cultivar Rosalie in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Caladium are much more compact, shorter, and not as open as plants of the cultivar Rosalie.
2. Plants of the new Caladium are more densely foliated than plants of the cultivar Rosalie.
3. Leaves of plants of the new Caladium have undulate margins giving a ruffled appearance to the leaves whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Rosalie have smooth margins and leaves are not ruffled in appearance.
4. Plants of the new Caladium have much stronger petioles than plants of the cultivar Rosalie.
5. Plants of the new Caladium are more low temperature tolerant than plants of the cultivar Rosalie.